


Tidings

by lankyguy



Series: A Barbarous Age [4]
Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006), Robin Hood - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 07:10:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9645749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lankyguy/pseuds/lankyguy
Summary: The gang comes together in Loxley to free Robert Fitz Oto, and bad news reaches them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Will Scarlett returns from the Holy Land, to prepare the way for King Richard’s return  
> A continuation of the storyline from my fic ‘Wither Thou Goest’.  
> Many thanks to LJ user ladywillin for all the help and support!  
> This series is reposted from my LJ.

Fulke FitzWarin was standing outside the Inn, seemingly waiting as Roger Godberd, Conrad and Henry the stable boy galloped up on their horses. 

It had taken the three of them an extra week to get here as they had decided to take several detours to throw off possible pursuers. They had passed through Oxford, then north to Milton Keynes, so Roger could make contact with what friends he had left there.

Conrad took the opportunity to avail himself of the odd tavern wench on the road, and Roger availed himself of Henry.

Securing the horses, they were ushered quickly inside and upstairs to their rooms by FitzWarin.

Loxley was a small Warwickshire village surrounding a large manor house, itself enclosed within a tall palisade with a strong gate.

Roger liked that the Avon was an easy ride in either direction. He liked that immensely. 

Nottingham and the other Locksley, in Yorkshire, were almost due north. Fulke’s home Whittington Castle lay due west. As such they were situated quite nicely, plenty of directions in which to escape. Roger liked having options.

“Who is this?” Fulke pulled Roger aside the first chance he got. They were in FitzWarin’s room, adjacent to Roger’s. There was a large bed, tub and chair by the fire in each room. 

The shorter, more muscular Fulke pointed at Henry through the open doorway that led to the next room and grinned. 

“His name is Henry; he was the stable boy at the London inn I was staying at.”

“Picking up strays are we? I thought I told you about that,” Fulke teased.

“It wasn’t like that,” Roger protested.

“It wasn’t?” Fulke was both incredulous and disappointed.

“It was, but honestly things were getting tough, and he helped me out.”

“So you’re saying you rescued him?” Fulke couldn’t help but smile. “It was an act of Christian charity?”

“After a fashion,” Roger said airily.

“He looks a lot like Will.”

“What?”

“He looks a lot like Will.”

“Wilfred,” Roger corrected. “Remember his nom de guerre.”

“Will can be short for Wilfred, we can call him that,” Fulke sighed.

“He doesn’t really look like Will does he?” Roger panicked.

“Only in the broadest of terms; thick dark hair and thin as Prince John’s morals.” 

“God’s hooks,” Roger exhaled.

“Is that the reason you like him, because he favours Will?” Fulke beamed.

“No!” Roger spat, turning beet red.

Fulke let out a loud laugh and playfully pounded on the taller man’s back. 

“He’s good with the bow,” Roger defended quickly, and recounted their escape from the Inn again.

“Then he is very welcome here,” Fulke reassured him. “Besides, it’s good to see you smile.”

Roger thought to protest and then stopped.

“Where is Will?” Roger asked suddenly.

“He is with Luke and Edmund. I need to talk with you,” Fulke said.

Hearing Fulke’s serious tone, Roger immediately went to the door leading into the next room. Henry looked at him in expectation. Roger waved for him to stay, and closed the door, leaving himself and Fulke alone.

“What is it?” Roger Godberd asked his long-time friend.

“I want to know what you think of this path Will’s leading us down.” Fulke’s face was stone.

“Are you second guessing him?” Roger started in surprise.

“Answer me, Godberd,” Fulke said just short of a command. 

Roger nodded, seeing the concern and determination on his friend’s face, and sat down in the chair and thought.

“At first I had my concerns,” Roger said thoughtfully. “After all, the ‘robbing from the rich, to give to the poor’ routine that his ‘Robin Hood’ is known for tends to mean robbing from the Normans to give to the Saxons.”

Fulke nodded watching his friends face.

“However, watching our Will, seeing how he metes out justice, and the state our country is in,” Roger looked a bit warily at Fulke. “Well, I have to say I don’t think much of my people right now. Prince John has turned us into brutes. We should be better than this.”

Fulke nodded in response, and it drew a cautious Roger to speak more.

“Like you, I was aghast at how our French ‘brothers’ treated us in the Holy Land, I don’t particularly think of myself, of us as Norman anymore. We’re English. We’re fighting for our people, all the people.”

Fulke exhaled heavily and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I am so glad to hear you say that, my friend,” Fulke said.

“You doubted me?”

“No, but these are dangerous times, and I ...well, we haven’t had a moment alone to discuss things since we left the Holy Land.”

“True.”

“We saw so much on Richard’s Crusade,” Fulke’s brow furrowed. “I would not have blamed you, if you had... I don’t know.”

“Tried to go back to my old life?” Roger offered.

“Maybe so, we’ve sacrificed so much, and in many ways Will Scarlett is not one of us.” Fulke shook his head.

“I know, he moves in his own sphere; I think he must have done so even amongst his outlaw gang.”

“He has so much on his young shoulders. He bears it well, but we bear him and I wanted to be sure of our footing,” Fulke explained.

“I stand with him, always. If anything I am more convinced than ever in what we do. It’s also quite fun, being an outlaw.”

“Benefits along the way,” Fulke nodded in the direction of the other room.

“You love him,” Roger said.

“Your Henry?”

“Will.”

“Oh.”

“You love him,” Roger repeated.

“I do, he’s a fine lad, and a good master,” Fulke agreed.

Roger took his turn to grin. They both had deep affection for the young outlaw, but everything was tangled up in their mission, and their love for the King. It could never be separated out.

“He is a comely youth, as well,” Fulke noted.

“Oh, yes.”

“He isn’t here, either.”

“What? Where is he?” Roger asked surprised. “You said, he, Luke and Edmund were...”

“Oh, they are, or that’s the plan anyway.”

“What happened?”

“Two days ago, just outside the village, we were doing our leap frog routine, taking turns running ahead of the following group. Edmund and I spotted a group down the road and signalled Will, who was following with Luke. As we caught up to the travellers, we saw they were being accosted by soldiers out collecting taxes on the road. Edmund and I were too close and wound up standing beside our horses waiting our turn to be interrogated.”

“You didn’t intervene?”

“We were trying to come into town quietly! Honestly, we didn’t have long to contemplate what to do, within moments Will launched arrows and pulled his daemon routine, falling out of the trees into the middle of the road.”

“I hate that shriek of his. Where did he get that?” Roger shuddered.

“The Saracens I expect, or possibly the Welsh,” Fulke remembered. “Will took out two soldiers, and Luke the other two from the side of the road. The last one ran for it, but Will shot him in the arse.”

“He likes doing that.”

“He does indeed,” Fulke chuckled. “He dragged the injured man back and made him apologize to everyone, then let him go.”

“He said he was ‘Robbin’ ‘Ood’, in that awful accent he does, and melted into the woods?” Roger shook his head.

“Yes, you know the routine by now. It gives me chills. One second he’s there, and the next he’s gone.”

“How did you end up here?” Roger asked.

“Well, Edmund and I had to go on ahead; we’d been seen by people. We let the other travellers get ahead of us, and from the woods, Will whispered that I should go ahead and let rooms at the Inn, that he and Luke would mufti in the forest.”

“And that’s what they’ve done, for two weeks?”

“Yes, they’ve been playing Robin Hood on the highway while Edmund and I have been very public here. Well, I have at any rate. Edmund sneaks off to join then as often as he can.”

“Not a surprise,” Roger said.

“He and Luke are fast friends, and no mistake. Every now and then I wake up in the morning to find Luke or occasionally Will asleep by the hearth. They’ve been busy in the forest. Will has something in mind.” Fulke’s brow furrowed in worry.

“What?”

“Not entirely sure, but I know they’re freeing Robert Fitz Oto tonight,” Fulke said. “He’s been sending me reports from the forest by way of arrow.”

“They’re freeing him tonight? What do we do?”

“Will wants us to wait here.”

“What! Why?” Roger shouted. Jumping up he ran to the door, and threw it open. “Henry get ready!”

“Roger stop! If we run out there, if we aren’t seen here when it goes down, then suspicion will fall on us.”

“So what? We have to protect Will.”

“Roger, stop. We can’t be there all the time. This is how he wants to do it.”

“But...” Roger deflated.

“I think ...this town’s problems are largely Saxon versus Norman, and Will doesn’t want to put us in an awkward position. I think he’s trying to be respectful. He’s a warrior Roger and we have to trust in him. We have to trust his judgement.”

“I do. It’s just - there’s news,” moaned Roger sitting back down in the chair. “I heard some bad news on the road here.”

****

Luke Scarlett stood in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by twenty young men from Loxley village and the surrounding country. Luke walked around the fire as he spoke, it was big enough just for light, but no real help in warding off the winter chill. The surrounding forest hung heavy with fog.

“You all know what to do?” Luke asked. The men nodded and shuffled their feet. “Remember we do this for ourselves, for our future. It’s time to stand up to Prince John’s men. Tonight we free Robert Fitz Oto and take back our pride!”

The men murmured agreement and left. They melted into the forest, moving toward their assigned stations.

“They’re not terribly enthusiastic,” Edmund sighed.

“No,” Luke agreed.

“Give them time,” Will came out of the darkness. “They’re new at this and we’re asking a lot of them. Besides, we’ve yet to give them something to be enthusiastic about.”

“I hate this routine of yours, keeping to the shadows,” Luke frowned.

“It’s better they do not know too much about their ‘Robin Hood’. Let’s keep a little mystery. It’s safer for us, and them. Most of the lads still have homes to go to,” Will said. 

“A little theatricality and mystery never hurts, eh?” Edmund began to kick dirt into the fire to put it out. “And they go a long way when starting a legend.”

“The legend that is outlaws?” Luke grinned. “But if you’re playing at being Robin Hood, then who’s Will Scarlett? There should be a Will Scarlett, right?”

“There’s always a Scarlett,” Will agreed, putting an arm around Luke’s shoulder, he led the two of them into the wood. The three men made a circuitous path through the forest toward the village, passing their men along the way, and making sure each was in position. After an hour they stopped at the border of the forest, on the edge of the village.

They surveyed the manor house protected by its palisade, the gate shut as it was every night. A guards stood on either side.

“It’s a nice gate, too bad you’re going to take it out,” Edmund said.

“It will certainly get their attention,” Luke said.

“Did the men..?” Will asked.

“We did everything you asked,” Luke reassured his brother, patting him on the back.

“The men are good. I trust them,” Edmund agreed.

Will smiled at them both. They had come a long way since they had left London, becoming a true group, working together.

“How are you going to take out that gate?” Luke asked.

“Who has the best arm?” Will asked.

“I do!” Luke and Edmund replied eagerly in unison. They began to shove at each other. “You do not!”

“Shush!” Will shook his head, amused. “Edmund, when I get into position, I’ll signal you. I need you to get as close as you can and throw this at the gate.” 

Will held up a clay egg-shaped ball, made out of two bowls joined at the rim. There was a hole in the longer end and a nipple-shaped protrusion extending out. 

“What is it?” Luke asked.

“A kind of petard,” Will explained. Luke and Edmund looked at each other in confusion.

“That wasn’t much help,” Edmund chuckled, shrugging.

“Sorry,” Will handed him the ball. 

“We’re getting used to it,” Edmund smiled broadly. Will cuffed him affectionately on the back of the head.

“Just be sure to throw it before the guards get to me, and do try to hit the gate dead centre.” 

“I can do that,” Edmund said proudly, and started to wiggle the nipple. “What is this?” 

Will grabbed his hand quickly to stop the manhandling.

“That’s the flint, the striker. It’s the end you aim at the gate.”

“Yeah, but what for?” Edmund asked.

“You’ll find out, if it works, just be sure to stay clear. It’s going to be loud,” Will said. 

Stepping forward he cupped his hand over his mouth and let out a hoot. It did sound remarkably like an owl. Luke thought he could feel the entire forest tense.

Before moving into the open, Will fell to the ground and crept low through the fog. He was all but invisible.

“My big brother is something else,” Luke said, putting a hand on Edmund’s shoulder. 

Nodding in agreement, Edmund cradled the ‘petard’ in his hands.

****

Tom and Jon, copper-haired, freckled twins, sat on a blanket against the palisade behind the manor house, shivering. It had become really cold and they huddled together for warmth.

Their father, James Gamwell had been a farmer before rising taxes and a bad harvest ruined him. The new Norman Manor Lord had taken the farm, and given it to someone else. Their father disappeared one night, leaving the boys to fend for themselves. No one was sure what had happened to him and rumors ran wild.

Things hadn’t been great in Loxley before, under Robert Fitz Oto, but they’d been better than this. 

The boys didn’t blame their father; the land had belonged to his father and his before him. Losing it broke a man already destroyed by the loss of his wife less than a year before. That the twins looked so much like their lovely mother had only made it worse. James Gamwell had tried, but the loss of the land was too much. He had left them long before he had actually disappeared.

Tom and Jon took to the forest, living on the land. Stealing food, and poaching the King’s deer, they managed to stay just ahead of the law. All alone, they were forest sprites that tormented the village.

That was until a week ago, when the hooded man appeared. Tom and Jon had witnessed him and his men stop the Norman soldiers on the road. They watched with wonder over the next few days as the hooded man bedeviled the Normans. “Why didn’t we think of that?” Jon asked Tom.

They considered approaching the hooded man, begging to join his gang, but fear kept them back. What if he said no? Jon did not think Tom could take another rejection, so they stayed away.

The next morning they awoke, as always cuddled arm in arm, to find the hooded man watching them. He had found their hovel, the abandoned house that was their home in the forest, near the old mound. 

It was a good spot; no one came near the old mound. They thought it haunted.

The hooded man and his men moved in with them, barely exchanging a word. It seemed the most natural thing in the world.

They quickly became part of the gang, and were put to work learning to fletch arrows and practising the long bow.

They heard the names ‘Hood’ and ‘Scarlett’ and they sounded like magic. 

Tom and Jon were in love with these men in the way only children can love. 

The two younger men, Luke and Edmund, were bright and cheerful. The hooded man, Luke called him Will, could also be bright and cheerful, but they saw sadness behind his green eyes. The twins knew what that was.

Now, the boys sat behind the Manor house waiting for the signal.

“What signal?” Jon had asked.

“You’ll know it when you hear it,” the hooded man smiled, his green eyes glowed like fire.

“That’s not very helpful,” Luke said, and Tom gasped at the nerve of him to question his master’s orders. The hooded man only laughed and jumped on him, in seconds playfully wrestling him to the ground. The boys realised that the two men were brothers and loved them both just a bit more. _Brothers!_

They sat in the cold woods, near Robert Fitz Oto’s prison window, ropes in small hands, Tom’s head on Jon’s shoulder, and devotion burning bright in their hearts.

****

_What do these people want from me?_ Adrien Du Buisson thought. He taxed them no more than Prince John forced him to, he barely added anything on top of the regular tithes. Yet, still they grumbled and scowled.

He’d even spared their beloved Lord, when he could have easily killed the man.

Well, that’s not quite true. The truth was Buisson feared an uprising, that was why he had Oto under house arrest and had not shipped him off to London and the Prince’s tender mercies. Oto might be Norman by birth but he’d gone native, and that just wasn’t done. The village had all but forgotten that he wasn’t Saxon.

It was a disgrace, Du Buisson sniffed. At least Oto was secure in the back of the house and he didn’t have to see the man. 

Buisson sighed and looked at the decor of the house, tired of the same walls. 

_I should go to the Inn,_ he thought. _The serving girl is comely enough, and I’m bored. Those travellers from London might still be there, and I heard there were new arrivals. Maybe they have news, gossip from court!_

Du Buisson was getting to his feet when he heard a loud, shrill shriek outside. It was clearly coming from the village square. He walked to the front door and flung it open.

****

Fulke and Roger were sitting downstairs in the Inn, deep in discussion over a pint. Henry sat at Roger’s elbow, just thrilled to be there. He was unsure where he might fit in, but he was determined to help. Conrad and Cecil were eyeing the serving wench, wondering what she might get up to, and betting who might get there first.

They all heard the shriek from the town square and looked to each other. Fulke and Roger were the first ones to the door, followed quickly by the rest, and then all the people poured out of the Inn.

****

The guards standing on either side of the gate jumped at the sound. What the devil? They looked at each other and as one moved toward the sound, an egg shaped object sailed over and past them. It struck the gate and exploded. The concussion throwing them to the ground, wood flying, wood raining down on top of them.

The gate was destroyed, and in the open area before them stood a hooded man.

****

Tom and Jon heard the shriek and sat bolt upright. _The sign!_ They looked at each other, then scuttled quickly up the palisade. Just as they got to the top, they heard the loud crash and thunder from the village square and looked at each other grinning. _Now that’s a sign!_

Vaulting over the top, they clambered the wall and quickly tied their ropes to the bars of Robert Fitz Oto’s room.

Letting themselves fall to the ground, Jon let out a high whistle. Some yards away in the woods at the other end of their ropes, two men urged two horses forward. Over the heads of the two boys behind the Manor House, the wall exploded as the bars were pulled free.

The boys untied their ropes from the bars. A man’s head peered out of the open hole, and Jon waved him down. He and Tom, climbed their ropes and back over the wooden barrier. Oto quickly followed them. 

In seconds they were gone, unmolested. All attention was focused on the front of the Manor House.

****

Fulke and Roger stood in front of the doorway to the Inn in shock. It was clearly Will in the town square facing the Manor House, but what should they do?

****

Adrien Du Buisson, got up off the ground and dusted himself off. Burning debris fell around him. What in God’s name was that?

In the area before the gate stood the hooded man; Robin Hood! Buisson’s mind raced with fear and excitement. He yelled for his guards and ran for the town square.

As they reached the remains of the gate Buisson saw the Hood notch two arrows. Later he would realize it was a signal of some sort, because instantly arrows fell from the sky. The barrage kept him and his men inside the Manor House grounds. Flaming arrows also fell, igniting a circle of fire around the hooded man. Buisson had to admit, he was impressed.

He started forward again and the hooded man let loose his arrows. Landing at his feet, they stopped Buisson in his tracks.

“We are gone from this place, and will not be prisoner to you again!” The hooded man said.

“What!” Buisson spat. It made no sense, there was no one... Fitz Oto! 

He watched the hooded man turn and stride out of the fading ring of fire and toward the entrance of the village.

“Get him!” Buisson screamed and the men moved forward. They halted as a fusillade of arrows from the forest pushed them back. They were surrounded and pinned in. 

“Get upstairs, check on Robert Fitz Oto,” he told a guard.

He heard the sound of a horse fast approaching from out of town. A rider appeared on horseback, clad in a red cloak. He slowed long enough only to snatch up the hooded man, and turning, galloped back down the road and into the night.

“Damn it!” Buisson stomped his feet in rage. The guard reappeared next to him, obviously nervous, near to quaking in his boots. Buisson knew what that meant, and he stomped his feet some more.

****

A mile down the road and out of sight Luke pulled the reigns bringing the charging horse to a stop. He and Will climbed down.

“Your riding’s got very good,” Will was impressed.

“I had a job as a messenger in Scarborough. I got to ride a lot,” Luke beamed at the compliment.

“Whose is this?” Will rubbed the brow ridge between the horse’s eyes affectionately. The horse nuzzled him.

“One of the lads. Says he’s good at finding his way back home. That’s why we chose him.” Luke led the horse by the reigns up the road and back in the direction of the town. He gave the horse a sharp slap on the flank and it trotted away.

The animal stopped ten feet away and turned its head to look at them.

“Get off!” Luke said sharply. The horse looked from one brother to the other.

“Go on,” Will said. The horse appeared to consider this and after a moment, obeyed and trotted off. Luke frowned at his brother.

“What’s with that cloak?” Will asked.

“Wot?”

“Wot?” Will mocked. “I told you to wear dark colors, greens or dark browns, so we can melt into the forest.”

“I melt just fine,” Luke replied gamely. “I happen to like scarlet.”

Will sighed deeply and pushed his brother forward into the underbrush.

“I like scarlet. What is that supposed to mean?”

“There’s always a Scarlett.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“Thank you, it runs in the family.”

They trudged through the forest and deeper into the chilly night.

****

The next morning the Loxley inn emptied out the few travellers it housed, spooked by the previous night’s events.

Fulke and company used that as their own excuse to take their leave.

“Get out, whilst the going’s good.” Conrad agreed. His attempt to make hay with the serving wench had met with success, and as such he was ready to move on to newer fields. He’d crowed about it to Cecil, little knowing Cecil had already plowed that field. 

Fulke was counting on Will to have look-outs waiting for them on the road, and he wasn’t disappointed. Less than a mile on the road to Stratford-upon-Avon they were rewarded.

First it was just an odd whistle, and the occasional bird imitation. Then there was rustling at random points in the woods alongside them. It would certainly have spooked any traveller not expecting it. 

Less than a half mile further, they were rewarded with a figure stepping into the road. It was a hooded man, and instinctively they all stopped.

The figure pulled the hood back and let out a broad smile. It was Will! Fulke and Roger jumped off their horses and rushed forward. Roger almost bowling Will over in a fierce hug.

“You wanker!” Roger scolded. “How dare you have fun without us!”

Will only grinned in response.

“That was very dangerous,” Fulke agreed, he stood back and feigned a stern look, but a grin threatened to erupt on his face,

“It was hardly dangerous,” Will smirked, “I had help.”

He let out a sharp whistle, and quickly a good thirty men stepped out from the underbrush, just into view. Fulke and Roger were shocked in equal measures. Conrad grinned and Henry sat a little uneasily in his seat, whilst Cecil fingered his sword. 

They were surrounded by an armed group. A motley crew, some had obviously been living in the forest for some time. Most were barely men, some were only boys. 

Fulke took note of the copper-haired twins as they stepped forward into the road and took up position on either side of Will. Fulke got the unnerving sense that he was being challenged.

He broke into a wide smile and grabbed Will into a big hug, ignoring the boys.

“You are a wonder!” Fulke asked, “What was that last night? Byzantine Fire?”

“It was just a little magician’s trick.” Will brushed it aside.

“There’s more to it than that!” Roger protested. Will gave him a quick look and the barest hint of a head shake and Roger knew not to pursue it further.

“Let’s get off the road,” Will said and walked quickly into the forest. Two men came forward and took their horses from them. Henry, Conrad and Cecil dismounted and followed, leaving their horses to the same men.

“Where are we going?” Henry asked in a timid voice.

Will stopped, a bit stunned and turned to face him.

“I am so sorry, we haven’t met.” Will extended his hand. “Forgive my manners. I’m Will Scarlett.”

“You’re Will Scarlett? I... I’m Henry, Henry Roberts.” The young man extended his hand to Will and shook it firmly. “Master Roger’s told me much about you.”

“First rule: don’t believe everything. Second rule: we’ve no masters out here. He’s just Roger, and I’m just Will. Welcome aboard Henry.” Will gave him a smile.

“Come along now, we’re going to our hideout!” Will turned back on his way, leaving Henry to follow at his elbow, beside Jon. Tom walked at Will’s left hand.

“This is Jon and Tom,” he told Henry indicating each boy in turn. ”Jon is the talker, and Tom is my silent friend. He’s our thinker.”

Will gave Tom a little wink as he said it and the boy smiled, turning bright red.

“What about the horses, Will?” Cecil asked, wishing he still had his.

“One of the local men will keep them in his stables until we need them. Horses can give away your location, you always keep them well away from camp,” Will said over his shoulder. “This is Cecil’s first time out as an outlaw, he doesn’t understand these things.”

“I knew that,” Cecil protested to Conrad, as the boys following Will chuckled. “I swear, I knew that.”

“He knows,” Conrad whispered, and indicated the young men all around them. “He was saying it for their benefit. They need to learn, they haven’t had our training.” 

“Just as we don’t have the foresting skills of a Midlands villager,” Roger agreed, listening in.

“I assume Luke and Edmund are at the ‘hideout?’” Fulke asked.

“Yes, they’re watching Robert Fitz Oto,” Will smiled.

“Watching?” Conrad asked.

“He’s a little impetuous.” 

“Will, we need to talk,” Fulke said. 

“Now,” Roger agreed firmly.

This stopped Will in his tracks. He turned and read the concern on both their faces.

“All right,” Will conceded, and spoke to the young men with them. “Everyone continue onto the mound. We’ll be right behind you.”

“The mound?” Roger asked Fulke, who only shrugged.

The young men looked at each other, they eyed the five newcomers warily: Fulke, Roger, Conrad, Cecil and Henry.

“Go on. It’s all right,” Will instructed, and the men continued on through the brush. All save Jon and Tom.

“Go on, boys.” Will said, and reluctantly Jon started to move. Tom held his place. Will knelt down and looked Tom right in the eyes, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s fine; just give us a minute or two to talk. You can still keep an eye on me, just step away a little.” Will rubbed the hair on Tom’s head, turned him and gave him a firm nudge. 

Jon stepped back in and lead his brother away. They moved out of sight, but Fulke could still fell their eyes on him.

“He’s trouble and no mistake,” Cecil said.

“He’ll be fine. What is the problem?” Will looked at Roger and Fulke.

“I heard the news outside of London. I stopped at the house of an old friend, he’d heard it at court, but everyone will hear it soon,” Roger said.

“Hear what?” Will was becoming alarmed.

“Richard has been captured, by Duke Leopold of Austria,” Roger said.

“Good God,” Will’s mouth dropped. “Is this true?”

“He was on his way to England. There was a shipwreck that forced him to travel over land on his way to his brother-in-law, Henry of Saxony. They were waylaid near Vienna,” Roger explained.

“Leopold is accusing Richard of arranging the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferra,” Fulke added.

Will’s head swam, and he staggered. Instantly Tom and Jon appeared beside him. Will sat down hard on the ground. 

They stood there for long minutes.

“Will,” Fulke said.

“I’m all right,” Will replied but his mind stormed. Richard had been captured. Everything they had been hoping for, waiting for, it was all about to come crashing down.

“Is there anything else?” Will demanded. “Anything you haven’t said?”

“That’s all we know right now,” Roger apologized.

“I need a few minutes to collect myself,” Will instructed, turning to Jon. “Show them the way to the mound. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Will...” Fulke started.

“Just go, my friend. I’ll be right there,” Will was firm.

He waited until Jon had escorted the men away and he was alone. Will stood up and paced wildly back and forth. Pulling his hatchet from the sheath on his back, he hacked at anything around him. Finally he sat down again and sobbed. 

Tom was immediately at his side, sitting with him. Will looked at the boy and ran his hand through Tom’s thick chestnut locks.

“What do I do?” Will asked himself. Richard had been their hope. The thing to save them from tyranny. It was unlikely that Richard would get out of Austria alive, Leopold hated him.

“Everything I’ve done with Robin Hood and since I’ve got back, is to try and save England, to keep it for Richard’s return. But what if he doesn’t return?” Will said aloud. “If there is no point to this, no end, then what do I do? What is the point, when nothing matters?”

He stood up quickly, ready to run away and lose himself.

Nothing matters, Will thought, despair eating at the edges and threatening to overtake him. Teetering on the edge, he suddenly felt something and looked down to see Tom, holding his hand. The boy’s sharp green eyes looking up into his. Tom gave him a smile, and Will saw the love and trust in his face.

“You’re right.” Will told Tom. “It does matter, I mean, isn’t that what every moment of my life has told me? From my Mum’s death to my Dad’s, to my time with Robin, and then with King Richard; everything we do is important, even when we can’t see it.”

He knelt down and looked Tom deeply in the eye.

“It does not matter if there is no great and glorious end, because all we have to do is help, eh? People should not suffer, and even if there is no larger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness is the greatest thing in the world. That’s it, isn’t it?” 

Tom nodded in firm agreement, and Will swept him up in his arms. They hugged for a long moment, then Will stood up and taking Tom’s hand again, they walked together toward the mound.


End file.
